Not So Unrequited
by articcat621
Summary: During a brief moment alone, Hermione finds out that her feelings aren't so unrequited after all.


A/N: Written for alisanne for the Rare Pair Shorts - Wishlists Summer 2016.

Many thanks to the lovely stronghermione1 for being my fabulous beta. alisanne I hope you enjoy this! xx

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_Not So Unrequited_

Hermione held onto Kingsley tightly, her eyes closed as she pressed her face against his back. Curses had been flying around them, one of them almost hitting the pair. For one terrible second, Voldemort himself had been flying after them, only to suddenly change directions.

Her heart pounded in her chest as they began their descent. Hopefully that meant they were close to Kingsley's home, one of the designated safe houses. Her fingers dug into his side as she gripped on for dear life, her stomach rolling as they dropped quickly. _Oh Merlin, oh Merlin, oh Merlin_, she repeated in her mind over and over before they came to a stop.

"Hermione, we've landed," Kingsley's deep voice sounded out. When she didn't move, he chuckled. "You can let go now."

"Can't," she murmured, feeling queasy. The Polyjuice was wearing off as well, which only added to her uneasiness.

Kingsley carefully removed her grip on him before he dismounted the thestral. He frowned when he saw that she was white as a ghost. "Merlin, Hermione, you weren't hurt, were you?" he asked hurriedly, checking her over for injury.

"Fine," she grumbled. "Hate flying." Her eyes were still closed. "Help me down, please?" She looked at him pleadingly.

Kingsley grabbed her, carefully pulling her from the thestral's back. Instead of placing her on the ground, he carried her into the house, lowering his wards before he did so. Once inside, he set her down on the sofa. "I'll get you a glass of water."

"Thank you," Hermione said appreciatively as he disappeared into what she was assumed was the kitchen. Looking around, Hermione inspected Kingsley's home. It was rather homely, very fitting to him. A rather large bookshelf caught her eye, along with a few tribal looking artifacts.

When he returned, he handed her the glass along with a Pepper-Up potion. She drank the potion before eagerly drinking the water. "Thank you," she said once more. Looking at him, she suddenly flushed, averting her gaze.

Given the circumstances of everything going on around them, Hermione had never been able to give much thought to her feelings towards Kingsley, but now that they were alone, she couldn't get him off her mind. He sat close to her on the sofa. So close that she could smell the distinctive smell of sweat and sandalwood, something that Kingsley always smelled like.

Hermione glanced up and found that he was staring at her. Her tongue darted out, quickly wetting her lips. She then let out a shaky breath.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Kingsley asked, his dark eyes peering into her own.

"I… As well as I can be," she told him honestly. Truthfully, she felt as if she were caught in a swirl of emotions. Fear from flying, anxious from the battle, nervousness from his gaze, excitement from being alone with him…

"Care to share what's on your mind?" he asked, laughing slightly. "We have some time before we need to be at the Burrow."

"No, it's nothing," Hermione replied quickly. Any thoughts of the two of them together were completely inappropriate… there was no way he would entertain those ideas.

Kingsley sighed. "Hermione, I can see the way you look at me…"

"Oh, _gods_," she murmured, burying her face into her hands. "Is it that obvious?"

"No," Kingsley assured her, his voice deep and booming as it always was. "But I'm an Auror, Hermione. I trained to see things that others would miss." He reached out, placing a hand on her leg.

Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat. She looked at him, eyes wide as she waited for him to speak. "Kingsley?" she whispered after a moment of silence.

"Your feelings aren't completely unrequited."

His words sent a thrill through her. Was he saying that he felt something too? Did she dare even hope for something more with the older wizard who set her blood afire?

Kingsley's gaze softened as he removed his hand from her leg and cupped her cheek instead. "We cannot look into this now, though. Do you understand? We can't afford any… distractions."

Hermione nodded. "I understand completely, Kingsley." In truth, she did. They were in the middle of a war, for Merlin's sake. Now wasn't the time to be exploring new feelings. She couldn't afford a heartbreak at the moment in case things turned for the worse.

He smiled at her slightly. "I've been wanting to try and talk to you for some time. It's why I requested you be the one to pair up with me."

Hermione couldn't help the small laugh that fell from her lips. "You always seem to know how to get what you want."

"You'd do well to remember that, little one," he said huskily. With a wicked smirk on his face, he stood, holding his hand down to her.

She gripped his hand, a small gasp escaping her lips as he effortlessly pulled her up from the sofa. "I hope everyone made it to their safe-houses okay."

Kingsley glanced at the clock on the wall. "Well, we can Apparate to the Burrow now and find out. Is side-along all right with you?"

Hermione nodded. "I'm still a little queasy from flying." She made a face, shaking her head. "I never want to ride a thestral again. Twice I've done it… Never again," she vowed.

He chuckled. "I still can't believe you're afraid of flying." He pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in a tight embrace. "Hold tight, Hermione."

Hermione pressed her face against his chest, inhaling his scent as she gripped onto him tightly. She felt the familiar pull of Disapparition before they disappeared from his living room and reappeared in the yard of the Burrow.

Glancing up at Kingsley, her stomach did small flips, but it wasn't from Apparating. There was a chance that she and Kingsley would have a future, so long as they both lived through the war. She prayed that they would.

Years later, as she faced the dark man across a candlelit table in a romantic restaurant, Hermione was pleased to find that she was right.


End file.
